The Official Newsletter of MSU-Northern April 12, 2013

IN THIS ISSUE From the Chancellor This Week on Campus Important Announcements Upcoming Events Weekly Columns Mission Statement

2013 SkillsUSA Competition

From the Chancellor

Since my arrival on campus, we have talked about the importance of data-informed decision-making as a key component of institutional growth. To that end, a "data portrait" of the university is in the final stages of development-a precursor to the establishment of a comprehensive data fact book that builds on the work already accomplished with MSUN's Data Set.

This week, I would like to provide you a glimpse of the type of data that has been generated thus far. The complete data portrait will be made available in early May.

Using data gleaned from our fall 2012 class ( of 1282), you will be interested to know that

• 89% of our students were in-state residents; • We are truly an institution that serves north-central Montana, with significant numbers of students residing in Hill, Cascade, Blaine, and Fergus counties; • 34% of the fall class (435 students) were first-generation students; • Our student body was split 50/50 by gender (671 women, 611 men); • 12.3% (158) members of the class self-reported as Native American; • 13.2% (170) members of the class were involved in NAIA athletics and club sports (e.g., rodeo, cheerleading); • While our average student age is 26, our largest cumulative headcount last fall was in the "traditional" college ages of 18-21; • 50% of our student body was enrolled in one of four major areas (diesel technology, nursing, business administration, and elementary education); and • Nearly one-half of all students enrolled last fall took at least one on-line course.

As we continue to develop the necessary databases that are vital to understanding our students, our processes, and our institution, I want to extend a sincere thanks to Matt DeLong, Registrar's Office, who has been instrumental in this effort.

Later in this edition of NNN you will see additional data that celebrates your efforts thus far to aggressively address our efforts to improve student retention and student success.

This Week on Campus Spring Fling

This year's Spring Fling on April the 5th was another great success. The Northern Lights Athletic & Scholarship Foundation (NLASF) Spring Fling Dinner and Auction is the only event you can find Chick- Tac-Toe, Putting for Dough, and free-flowing $20's. The Fling is an event to raise scholarship dollars for the Lights & Skylights. Over 500 community members come out to enjoy the festivities. The night featured fun games, bucket drawings, bingo, silent and live auction items. The auctions alone brought in $53,000. Not only was a lot of fun had but many people, businesses and athletes were honored. The Bob Bricker Shining Light Award was given to Scott Young, a tremendous supporter of Northern and the athletes. Mike Tilleman was presented a #74 jersey for being the mastermind behind the NLASF events over 10 years ago. Cameron Neiss and Abby Nicholas were honored as male and female athletes of the year. Special thanks were given to Gerald & Shirley Keller, Holt Plumbing & Heating, Chad & Davilyn McCormick, and KRTV for sponsoring different aspects of the night. The next NLASF event will be the golf tournament in June. For more information visit their website at www.legendsforlights.com. Northern is always very pleased with the outcome of each year's Spring Fling. The overall totals of the funds raised are still being tabulated. Northern thanks everyone who contributed to this fantastic fundraising event.

Program Prioritization Review Update By: Dr. Rosalyn Templeton

MSUN's faculty and academic leaders have just completed the program prioritization review process. All programs (75 certificates and degrees) were reviewed and recommendations were made to grow, maintain, integrate/revise, or phase-out. The Chancellor will examine the recommendations from the faculty, Academic Senate, Academic Council, and the Provost and make a final decision on May 10, 2013.

Golden "N" Recipients

Becky Nicholson (L) and Wane Boysun (R) were this year's Golden "N" winners. Nicholson and Boysun were recognized at the Student Excellence Awards luncheon which occurred yesterday. The award is given by Student Senate and the winners are selected by the students based on the helpfulness and overall readiness to assist students and help them achieve. The Golden "N" Award is the most prestigious award an MSU-Northern faculty or staff member can receive.

Evidence of Retention Success By Tracey Jette

We are already seeing benefits from our commitment to student success and retention! We have had a 6.5% increase in our student persistence rate (First-time, Full-time Freshman students who continue their education from Fall semester to Spring semester) this year! With the ongoing guidance of our Noel- Levitz retention consultant, MSU-Northern is continuing to make student-centered changes to support the success of our students. A big THANK YOU to all of the hard working faculty and staff who continue to contribute to our student's success!

Northern Hosts State SkillsUSA Competition

Pictured (L to R) in second place is Daniel Tracey and first place is Josh Jones for Residential Wiring. Both are students at MSU-Northern.

Montana's SkillsUSA held their 42nd annual State Leadership & Skills Conference on the MSU- Northern campus this week (April 8-10). MSU-Northern has hosted the event since 1972. SkillsUSA is a nationally based club that offers competitive workforce skill-training opportunities for high school and college students. Northern welcomed the annual gathering again this year, utilizing much of the campus' for the many presentations and competitions that were offered. This year, 352 students from 35 high schools as well as students from 2 post-secondary schools rallied together in Havre for the competitions. This year there were nearly forty categories to choose from. The most popular events were: arc welding, automotive service technology, basic welding, basic wood technology, carpentry, combination welding, extemporaneous speaking, job interview, job skill demonstration, power equipment technology, and the ever-famous SkillsUSA Quiz Bowl.

Student Excellence Winners

The Student Excellence Award is the highest honor an MSU-Northern student can receive. This year's recipients were: Back Row: Brock Hyder, Michelle Gorecki, Jourdan Han, Michaela Howe-Cobb, Matthew Bean. Front Row: Jackie Richmond, Whitney Peterson, Jonnalea Tatsey, Holly Cartwright, Hillary Isleifson.

Student Athletes of the Year This year's Student Athletes of the Year are Abby Nicholas and Cameron Neiss. Here's a little bit about these extraordinary Northern athletes:

Abby Nicholas is the daughter of Bill and Heather Nicholas. She grew up in Salt Lake City, UT and attended Riverton High School, where she began her volleyball career, playing all four years there. After high school, Nicholas was recruited by and signed with Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, WY where she played for two years.

This past season, her first at MSU-Northern, Nicholas was named 1st Team All-Conference, 2012 AVCA Northwest All-Region (the first player in 21 years to earn this honor), and a Daks-Stats Scholar Athlete, maintaining a 3.90 GPA in Nursing. She led her team in blocks and hitting percentage, while placing in the top ten in the conference in 3 categories as well (hitting %, kills per set and blocks).

Nicholas states, "The volleyball team has quickly become my family and everyone is very close. I want to thank all of my teammates and coaches for making my experience here the best. Without the team, I wouldn't have the drive to compete as hard as I do. I also really want to thank my parents for being my number one support system and driving all over the region to watch every game they possibly can." She continues, "I am honored to be part of the Northern Volleyball team that made so much history in 2012. The team has come so far from where the program was a few years ago, and I plan on working incredibly hard this summer so that when we come back this fall we get the conference championship."

Cameron Neiss is from Ronan, MT and is currently a junior at MSU- Northern. During his true freshman year at MSU-Northern, Neiss earned All- American status by placing 7th at the NAIA National Tournament. During his sophomore campaign, Neiss overcame a dislocated elbow at the start of the season to again qualify for his 2nd trip to the NAIA National Championships. That same season, on February 20, 2012, Neiss and Mariah Cheff welcomed their daughter Laila Kay Neiss to the world.

During this season, 2012-13, Neiss was able to climb back into the driver seat at 133 lbs as he bested two #1 ranked opponents during the season to claim the #1 ranking prior to the National Championships. In December he beat the #1 ranked student by major decision. At the Regional Qualifier, he bested the #1 ranked wrestler in the semifinals with a come-from-behind victory and then beat the #2 ranked wrestler in the finals to claim his first Regional Title and receive the West Region honor of Outstanding Wrestler. He then went into Nationals and made an incredible run to the finals and ended his junior campaign as the NAIA National runner-up. Neiss finished the 2012-13 season with a 33-9 record, and was named the team's Outstanding Wrestler of the Year. He is now a 2x All-American and was also honored as an Academic All-American in 2013 with a 3.52 cumulative GPA. Neiss is majoring in Health Promotions and is the son of John Neiss.

Northern Showcase presented The Alley Cats

The Alley Cats performed at the Havre High Auditorium this Tuesday. This was the last performance of the 2012-13 Northern Showcase Concert Association season, and what a performance it was! The 50s/60s "doo-wop group" entertained the crowd with perfect blend of tight a cappella harmonies and comic timing. Their interaction with the audience combined with their spontaneous humor made the show refreshing and exciting.

Important Announcements New Emergency Procedures Sheet

A new emergency procedure sheet has been written and is at the printer. Faculty and staff can expect to see it in their campus mail boxes by the end of next week. This sheet will replace the previous emergency procedure flipchart.

Apply now to become a Northern Ambassador

Northern Ambassadors is a student organization that works closely with prospective students, current students, parents, alumni and the Havre community. The Ambassadors' primary goals are to share their excitement and love for Northern from students' perspectives while learning and demonstrating leadership skills.

Are you interested in becoming a Northern Ambassador? The group has a new website where you can "meet" the ambassadors, read about what they're up to around the campus, or schedule a campus tour. Just visit: http://www.msun.edu/ambassadors/

Northern Ambassador applications for the 2013-2014 school year are now available at: http://www.msun.edu/ambassadors/docs/NorthernAmbassadorApplication-web.pdf Applications are due to the Admissions Office by Wednesday, April the 17th, 2013.

Golden Grads, You Are Invited to be our Special Guests.... By Autumn Elliot

The Northern Alumni Association and MSU-Northern cordially invite you to your Golden Graduation Reunion. You will be our honored guests for the memorable two days on campus that will include tours, the annual alumni meeting, and a lot of time to socialize with classmates and friends. We are inviting all Golden Grads who graduated 50 years ago as well as those who graduated more than 50 years ago. The Northern family believes that you should not have to wait 10 years to come back to campus. If you came back for your Golden Graduation and would like to come again, please feel free to do so. Also for those of you that were not able to come to your 50-year reunion, please come and join us this year. We would love to see you and your family.

Friday evening is a special evening for Founder's Excellence and Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame. This banquet is our opportunity to recognize those who have done so much for Northern. This evening will include a special presentation made to our Golden Graduates.

Commencement is the highlight of the weekend as our Golden Grads march in the processional. We will honor you as you receive a new diploma while gowned in gold.

Your timely response and participation will help make this reunion a success. Please let us know as soon as possible if you will be attending so we can include you in the graduation program. To register, simply complete the form (instructions to the form are included below) and return it with your payment to the Northern Alumni Association. It is advisable to arrange for accommodation early, as Havre will be buzzing with activity and people that weekend.

Please encourage your friends from your class to attend the Golden Reunion. A personal call can do wonders (the Alumni Office can help you find phone numbers and addresses). You can also help us contact lost classmates by providing information to the Alumni Office.

If you cannot attend the reunion, but would like to share special memories with your classmates, please complete the "Memories" form and return it to the Alumni Office for publication in the Reunion booklet.

Click on link to open registration form. Fill it out and send it in for a great weekend!! http://msun.edu/alumni/docs/2013GoldnGradsLetter.pdf

Learn to Budget for a Better College Experience

College students shouldn't be forced to compromise on their college experience just in the name of cutting costs. Rather, students should focus on finding ways to set up and live within a budget that minimizes unnecessary spending and lets them choose when and how they want to splurge. To help make those budgeting dreams a reality, here's a quick and simple guide to cutting the fat out of college spending while still indulging in those great opportunities. http://cheapscholar.org/2013/03/07/learn-to- budget-for-a-better-college-experience/

NORTHERN ALUMNI SELECT TWO FOR ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME 2013

Montana State University Northern has a tradition of excellence both in the classroom and with its athletics; this tradition goes back to Northern Montana College's first athletes and has continued through its 86-year history. The Northern Alumni Association recognizes the students and coaches who built that tradition by inducting two outstanding men into its Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame. Emmett Willson of Miles City, Montana, and the late Larry Sapp of Havre, Montana, will be presented commemorative awards in a ceremony during the Founder's Excellence & Hall of Fame Banquet on the Northern campus Friday, May the 3rd. We are proud to induct these two amazing men to our Athletic Hall of Fame!

The Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes players, managers, and coaches for achievement of athletic honors in their sport and to individuals for their outstanding and meritorious service to Northern Athletics. We would like to invite you to join us as we induct these amazing Northern standouts May 3rd at 5 pm. For more information please contact the Alumni office at 406-265-3770. Upcoming Events

One Man, One Violin, and One Remarkable Recital! The MSU-Northern Chancellor's Lecture Series Presents world-class American violinist, Mr. Jack Glatzer. Entitled "One Man, One Violin, and One Remarkable Recital!" Mr. Glatzer will perform a solo violin recital. He introduces each musical work by an informal and intimate commentary and links music to art, history, and civilization. Glatzer's particular interest is the unaccompanied repertoire for the violin; he is celebrated not only for his interpretations of Bach, Paganini and Bartok but also for his performances of Locatelli, Roman, Ysaye, Bloch, Stravinsky, Elgar, Rochberg and Sculthorpe.

Mr. Glatzer's violin recital is Monday, April 15, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. in the Applied Technology Center, Hensler Auditorium, MSU-Northern campus. The campus community and general public are invited to attend the lecture. Admission is free. All are welcome.

ASMSUN Program Council Presents Reggae Artist, Cas Haley

America's favorite homegrown reggae artist, Cas Haley, will be performing at MSU-Northern on April the 16th at the Student Union Ballroom at 7 p.m. Haley first came to national attention in 2007 as a contestant on the second season of the television show "America's Got Talent," where he finished in second place and, in the process, garnered a huge audience of fans. Haley's debut album, which came out quickly to capitalize on the success of AGT, sold over 30,000 units in the U.S. without a marketing campaign or extensive distribution.

In his new album, Connection, Haley wanted to make a timeless album so he retreated to his hometown of Paris, Texas, and took two years to create a record that honestly represented who he is as an artist. The process was long, but Haley has emerged with a strong musical statement.

One track on the album is a cover-version of the Commodores song "Easy," and upon hearing Haley sing his classic hit, Lionel Richie stated "he made it seem easy, and there's nothing easy about it." Since rising to prominence on the world stage, Haley has performed alongside such notables as UB40, Blues Traveler, Al Green, Los Lonely Boys, Martin Sexton, Soulive, Mofro, and Lucky Dube, to name a few.

Admission for this performance is free to MSU-Northern students, faculty and staff. Community members may attend for $5/adult and $3/student. For more info visit www.cashaley.com

Student Art Exhibition The Annual Student Art Exhibition will open Wed., April 17 at 6p.m. in the Student Union Gallery. Each spring MSUN students from several campus program disciplines exhibit a variety of art work in drawing, painting, ceramic,photography and digital media. The campus and community to attend the opening, meet these students and view their work. are invited

Gladstone Expounds on Native Anthropology

The MSU-Northern Chancellor's Lecture Series presents Mr. Jack Gladstone a Native Poet/Singer and lecturer from the Blackfeet Indian Nation of Montana. His lecture is titled "Native Anthropology: Challenge, Choice and Promise in the 21st Century" Blending history and legend with music, Jack entertains while using his unique communication skills to inform his audience of Plains Indian culture. Regarded as a cultural bridge builder, he delivers programs nationally on American Indian myth, legend and history, and gives his audience a multi-cultural perspective.

Mr. Gladstone's lecture is Thursday, April 18, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. in the Applied Technology Center, Hensler Auditorium, MSU-Northern campus. The campus community and general public are invited to attend the lecture. Admission is free. All are welcome.

Spring Havre PRIDE is April 20th Join the Havre PRIDE Committee, Saturday, April the 20thto clean up our town.Your help is much needed to clean up our community after the long winter that dirtied our streets. Working together to clean up our town makes the task easier. Show your PRIDE! Let the Chamber know if you have selected a certain area to pick up by calling 265-4383.

Also, the Recycle Drive and E-Waste Collection will run from 8 a.m. to noon on the corner of 1st St. and 5th Ave. They will be accepting: aluminum- separate from other materials, cardboard and boxboard- flattened, e-waste- TV and computer screens, glass- triple rinsed with lids removed, paper- all newspaper, junkmail, office paper, etc., plastic #1 and #2- triple rinsed with lids removed, tin, and other metal. Call Candi at (406) 899-6513 for more info about the collection.

Campus Improvement Day - April the 23rd Since 1932, Northern has set aside a day for general campus clean-up and campus improvement. This year's Campus Improvement Day is set for April the 23rd at 1 p.m. and is sponsored by the Associated Students of MSU-Northern. Students, faculty and staff who participate in this event will receive a free T- shirt. Some of the projects assigned this year will be raking and general cleanup. Departments on campus are encouraged to clean up their own area. This is a day to take pride in Northern and make it the best it can possibly be.

Join a team or work on your own. Campus Improvement Day registration forms are available at the SUB Information Desk. Teams will meet at 1 p.m. in the SUB Lobby to receive T-shirts, work assignments and cleaning materials.

12th Annual Tucker Montgomery Folf Tournament The 12th Annual Tucker Montgomery Folf Tournament will be held on April 24 at 5 p.m. on the MSU- Northern's folf course. The tournament will include singles, doubles, and team divisions. Registration forms are available at the SUB Information Desk. Registration forms are due at the SUB Information Desk by April 24 at 5 p.m. All participants will receive a T-shirt to commemorate this year's tournament. Prizes will be awarded to the winners of each division and a free BBQ will follow on the SUB East Lawn.

NorthPoint Auction Coming Soon! Our campus adopted the NorthPoint Card Rewards Program in the Fall of 2012. NorthPoint is a program developed to connect MSU-Northern students to Northern's extracurricular events and activities.

Over 500 students have earned points this semester for attending school-related events such as: intramural and recreation activities, athletic functions, dances or comedy or variety shows, the Chancellor's Lecture Series, Northern Showcase events, SUB Fitness Center or the Pin-n-Cue recreation area. These points will be calculated and posted in the SUB Lobby.

At the NorthPoint Auction, students spend those points on prizes. The silent auction will begin April the 25th at 7:30 p.m. in the Fireside Conference Room. At 8 p.m., in the Ballroom, the live auction will begin. Refreshments and hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Students don't forget to check your points!

Paris, France- Spring Break 2014

Have you ever wanted to see the Eiffel Tower up close? Have you ever wanted to eat a fresh croissant or macaroon (one that is NOT made from coconut)? Have you ever wanted to see the "Mona Lisa" or the "Venus de Milo" or the multiple "Water Lilies"? If, so consider joining our tour group to Paris, France! The planning for this trip has already begun, so if you want more information on this amazing opportunity to travel and expand your horizons, contact Carol Reifschneider at 265-4126. Weekly Columns

@ Your Library By Vicki Gist

Finals week begins in 2 weeks! Are you looking for a place to study? Come to the library! You will find tables where you can spread out your project or small booths (carrels) in which to study. The quietest place to study in the library is downstairs near the outside walls. This is a good place to get lost for a few hours of intense study time. You can also use your laptop downstairs. Look for the carrels with the "Plug In Here" signs. There is WiFi available on both floors.

Are you looking for a place to meet your group to work on a project or study for an exam? You will find 2 study rooms and lots of tables on the main level of the library. And, don't forget the Coffee Cart for that hot or cold beverage and quick snack to keep you going.

Starting Monday, April the 22nd the library will be open extended hours. The library will be open nights until 11:00 p.m. on April 22-25 and April 28-May 2. The library will also be open Saturday, April the 27th from 1:00 PM-5:00 p.m. Check the library's webpage (http://www.msun.edu/infotech/library/index.htm) for a complete listing of hours.

Computer Corner By Marianne Hoppe

Excel 2010 Tip Use Data Validation to display comments or data entry tips

Excel Comments let you display information about the values in a cell. The notes might be for you or they can be information for other users. Excel displays the comment when you mouse over the cell - you don't have to select the cell, just move the mouse over the cell. However, using this method the comments can obscure data that you're trying to view and this behavior can be annoying to some people. If you're in that group, there's an alternative. You can use Data Validation to attach information to a cell and Excel will display it only when the cell (or cells) are selected.

To use Data Validation to attach text to a cell, do the following:

1. Select the cell or cells you want to add a comment to.

2. Click the Data tab and then in the Data Tools group choose Data Validation from the Data Validation dropdown.

3. In the resulting dialog box, click the Input Message tab.

4. Enter a title and message. (The title isn't actually necessary - you can omit it if you like) Notice that Excel checks the Show Input Message When Cell Is Selection option by default. For this technique to work, this option must be checked.

5. Click OK.

Now, change the selection and then move the mouse over the cell - Excel doesn't display the text you entered. Select the cell and Excel does display the message.

This technique is easy to implement, but it uses Data Validation in an unusual way so you might not think of it.

A Pinch of Salt By Kimmi Boyce

Continuing with the theme of theme of frugality for the month, here are a couple more tips on how to save money on a day-to-day basis.

• Buying lunch at $6 a day totals nearly $800 for the year! If you have the makings for some brown bag lunches at home, tap into the food you've already purchased by packing your lunch. • Another way to save on food is to plan your meals before you go grocery shopping. Without a strictly defined list, people tend to impulse buy. Avoid this temptation and save money with a little forethought. • Very seriously consider cutting some of your credit cards. Interest rates will eat you alive if you're not careful with your cash. If you can't afford to pay for all the stuff on your card, reevaluate. Resituate, and downsize your wallet's plastic weight by dealing with money that you physically possess. • Discipline is key when it comes to saving some dough. Though it may sound boring and laborious, draw up a budget. Be realistic but not too generous with any frivolous items. Finalize the budget and stick to it! This technique is a basic one, but it really works and helps millions of people save tons of cash.

Ideas gleaned from: http://www.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/budgeting/10-easy-ways-to-save- money.htm#page=10

Mission Statement "MSU Northern, a teaching institution, serves a diverse student population by providing liberal arts, professional and technical education programs ranging from certificates through master's degrees. The university promotes a student centered and culturally enriched environment endorsing lifelong learning, personal growth and responsible citizenship. The university partners with a variety of community and external entities to enhance collaborative learning, provide applied research opportunities, stimulate economic development and expand student learning experiences."

Montana State University - Northern | P.O. Box 7751 | Havre, MT | 59501